House of Betrayers
by MizBizSav
Summary: The battle isn't over between life-and-death. At least not for Anubis House. When a strange visitor arrives at the house, who can the gang trust? Narrated by an OC. ALL characters will be present. Rated T for language and scary themes.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my second fanfiction, but my first for the House of Anubis realm. House of Anubis has been my obsession for a couple of months now. I watched the first episode on New Year's Eve and became instantly hooked. Now that season one is over, and there is no confirmed season 2, I decided to write this. I wasn't going to write this quite yet (I've been dedicated to my other FF for the Darkest Powers series- so if you have read those, check out my FanFiction!), but I've been having withdraws from the show, so I thought this would be a good time to get this posted. **

**This takes place about a three or four months after season one ends. And this may make some people disappointed, but I have an OC (Original Character) narrating this. Before you get completely upset and switch to some Twilight FanFiction, I'd like for you to still give this a chance. I have spent a lot of time trying to produce an in-depth character with lots of flaws that can be relateable. Now, whether I've succeeded in that is up to you. (And I'd love for you to review and tell me whether I did or not!). But, ALL characters in the original series WILL show up. **

**You may experience some confusion in this chapter, but that is there for a reason. Happy Reading! :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own House of Anubis. Or any creative disclaimers, for that matter.**

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"You'll be fine." His hands clamped my shoulders in a reassuring way, squeezing until all of my uneasiness was absent. Him being here helped, but didn't quite get rid of all of the anxiety forming in the pit of my stomach. It was crucial that I did everything correctly, said everything correctly. One mistake and our plan could plummet and sizzle out. I didn't want him to leave. Not when he was the only person I could truly trust.

I twisted my head until I was staring straight into his eyes, his two orbs of blue the only thing comforting about my entire situation. They sparkled as the sun's ray peeked out behind the confining clouds and reflected on our red van. He had been living in his van for weeks, sleeping in the front seats, keeping myself stored in the back, refusing to come out. He hadn't specified his reasons behind this, but I could tell he was depressed. I was glad to know that I was of some company to him, though. By the seems of it, he didn't have any friend or family to turn to. I was his only one. But, in this aspect, we could relate immensely.

"Do you remember the plan?" His words were soft, not wanting to be alarming, but that didn't keep the urgency in his voice from percolating through. I nodded my head in agreement. I _did _remember the plan... how could I not? Every day he forced the words of his tactic down my throat, these words eventually becoming permanently embedded into my brain. Some nights I woke up from visions of this strategy growing amiss, my failure leading to our capture and eventually to the death of him, my sole purpose. They were sinister people... they made me watch his death... they murdered him... they...

"Iris..." He noted my wavering sadness and reached out a hand to wipe the tears from my face. His hands were gentle as he chased the rain away one-by-one. With one hand still tracing invisible marks on my face, he lifted the other to gingerly cup my chin.

"Rainbow," he spoke with much tenderness. "Shh... it's okay. It'll all be okay. I'm here, safe." He pushed the hair stuck to my face away and pulled it back behind my ear. I reached out and rested my hand on his arm. It was okay... he was here, very much alive. All would turn out fine. He wouldn't leave me.

"I-I'm sorry," I murmured, my voice trembling like the engine of a train. "I've d-disappointed you. It won't happen a-again."

He took his hands off my face and placed them at his side, working with a loose strand on his coat. We sat in silence for a moment, the only sound projecting in his car was the muffling of our breathing, in-sync together. Sometimes I wondered why he had stayed, why he had chosen to protect me instead of living on his own. It would be much easier that way. One less person to feed, one less person to take care of. Just pack his bag, erase his memory, and the rest would be fate. Forget about me for good. The only thing cutting these threads of doubt was the fact that he didn't live by fate... he chose his own destiny. That much I knew.

He glanced up after a minute, his attitude more composed than before. He looked at me with welcoming eyes as he said, "Would you like to go over the plan again?"

I nodded with concurrence, with confidence. I was certain that I wouldn't mess this up, _couldn't _mess this up. He put his faith in me and I had to return the favor.

His words were serious as he clarified his plan. "You'll walk in and explain your situation. You're a new student at Anubis House. You registered a couple of months ago. Your form is located in your backpack. Pressure them into thinking that there's must have gotten lost in the mail. Is that part clear?" He paused to make sure I was catching on before he continued, "Become close with the girl with the Eye... the Eye of Horus. You'll recognize her. Sweet... charming... friendly..." He made a gagging noise. I couldn't help but crack a smile to lighten the mood.

His plan prolonged as he said, "The keeper of the house- Victor- ...make sure you don't give out any suspicious hints... he'll definitely catch them. He's a wicked man, a heartless man. He'll change you as a person; force you to see the evil, to see who you are inside... the darkness within..." His voice trailed off as his once assertive face was now streaked with hesitancy. I've never seen him like this before. My eyebrows scrunched together as my eyes evolved to an ominous shade black. I suddenly grew a strong dislike for this man. How could he hurt him... how?

I hit the side of the door in fury, the contact causing a loud echo to bellow inside of the car. My breathing accelerated while my pulse increased to its maximum. The throbbing in my hand confirmed the worst of my fears... I was a monster.

I kicked the console; slapped and screamed at the stiff seat that was not supporting me rightfully during my rage. I continuted to beat the tinted window until my hands went numb. All rational thoughts exited my head. I deserved to be locked up... I was not safe... no one was safe...

He let out a strain of profanities as he tried to hold me back, stop me from going completely insane. He reached for my wrists, and after several failed attempts, he grabbed them and pinned me down, his sharp nails tearing into my skin. I was forced to be submissive, no matter how much my wince proved otherwise. But, I _wasn't _a dog, I _wasn't _someone's doormat. I was absolutely _no one's _adherent. I squirmed underneath his grasp until one of my hands was free and I whipped it, lashing him in the face. He stumbled back in his seat, his hand clutching his cheek where my fingernail made contact. I could see the blood already start to trickle down his face.

"Dammit... I... gahh..." His words came out uneven as he tried to form a sentence, but couldn't under the pain pulsing throughout his body. The pain _I _wreaked.

I remained in my seat, my head balanced on top of my rigid knees. The tears streaked my overheated face, but they cooled me down and diminished my anger. I peeked over at him in the seat next to mine. Irate. Despondent. Disappointed... in me.

"I-I'm so s-sorry." My lip trembled as I spoke. Demoralization flooded my body and rushed through my veins. I inflicted the worst in everybody, primarily myself.

He glared at me, his once gleaming eyes now omitted. He spoke carefully, not wanting to set me off again. "Someone could have heard you. My plan... everything we have worked towards... it could have been thrown away because you are too imprudent to think about your actions." I glanced away, guilt overpowering anything I could have possibly said.

He reached across the seat and grabbed me by the chin, compelling me to stare at him. "I don't have to help you, you know. I can kick you out right now, with no one to turn to, no one of your assistance. Would you like that?" His grip tightened on my chin, his thumb pushing into my jaw. I didn't say anything. Didn't want to.

"I said, would you like that!" His fingertips were thrust into my skin, my eyes filling with tears yet again. I shook my head immediately, not wanting to feel any more pain.

He shoved my head away and gazed disgustingly out the window. He refused to look at me. "Don't you dare mess this up for me, Iris. Don't you dare."

I took in a deep breath, trying to regain my confidence, and said, "I won't. I promise."

I glared into the open air, not staring at one certain thing, but instead trying to lay my thoughts out in front of me. I was to walk into the house, my presence warming and my smile radiating. Hopefully, they would accept me. If they declined my stay, though, I would show them a copy of the form he meticulously falsified. Money would not be a problem either... _he _had taken care of that matter. All I had to do was fake my graciousness and get ahold of the Eye of Horus, and if I was lucky, the Elixir. But, why was I so worried? Was it because of dissatisfaction or the wrongdoing I was about to perform? I thoroughly believed that I wasn't a bad person... yet not a good one, either. I was somewhere in the middle, skimming the edge of abusing welcomed seclusion.

The car shook, startling me out of my consuming thoughts. He had put the car into gear, the keys now rattling in the ignition, their place finally found. His hands were locked securely on the steering wheel, his eyes set on the road ahead of him. They scanned over each and every pebble flying off the tires, presuming them to be a suspecting person, not a lazy rock. He watched every movement that was made outside of the car closely; he would not let his guard down until I was safely in the house. He was strongly dedicated to his plan and would not let one reckless mistake ruin it. Like when I went on my frenzy.

My rages aren't explanatory. I never mean to lose self-control. It just happens so quickly and so very easily. Emotions are a difficult thing for me to configure. How does one truly express oneself in a simple action, a simple expression? How does one live with all of these sensations bottled up for so awfully long without exploding? That is how it is with me. The steam builds up and increases after every incident until my emotions come tumbling out, sort of like a kept lid on a boiling pot resting on a heated stove. Is it insanity, or just a part of my whimsical being?

The trees rushed by without any sense of pattern as the van drove along the dirt road. At the end of the trail, I could see a blur of light, confirming that the road was to end soon. Birds wove in and out between the trees, without a care in the world. Sometimes I wished I was like them. Unconcerned. Free. The desire to fly being my only passion. We met the last of the dirt road and I glanced back to wave goodbye to the birds. I had a feeling we would meet again soon, though.

The pavement was a nice break from the constant jolts and I soon found myself marveling over the scenery. There were about ten different buildings lying in an array, all so gigantic and beautifully structure that I had to blink to make sure it was all real. There was one especially long and huge building, which I assumed was the school I would be visiting for the time being. It was absolutely gorgeous that I had myself thinking that there was no way it could be a school. But, it was. This would be my new life.

He merged from road to road before we finally came to our destination: Anubis House. It was a Victorian House, standing tall and smugly in the center of what might as well had been the greenest grass I had ever seen. Benches were positioned symmetrically in front of the house, this move causing a little of the worry to ease. This house didn't seem as terrible as he had described it.

He plucked the keys out of the ignition and wordlessly handed me a small box. A set of green contact lenses. I was about to ask how this would completely change my identity, but decided against it. It would be better not to argue.

I opened the box and set the lenses on my eyes. I felt disoriented at first, but that quickly diminished. I stared at him, watching him. He didn't seem to notice me at all.

I cleared my throat and said, "What about my hair?"

He shook his head. He must have discerned my confusion because he justified his reason. "It's not needed. They won't recognize you."

My puzzlement doubled by this. It didn't make any sense. But, he was in charge, as always. I stretched behind the seat and grabbed my bag. It contained everything I needed: fake ID, my registration form, even a pair of books for school. I was to arrive as everyone else at this boarding school did.

I looked at myself one last time in the rear view mirror. I appeared fragile and tiny, lacking the confidence I needed. I pushed the black sidebangs out of my eyes and put on my biggest smile. It was improvement, but not by much. I'd have to do better once inside.

The man I feared for reached over and touched my arm lightly, graciously. He observed me with kind eyes, the sparkly tint now returned. He sent me a small, supportive smile and I then realized that he was the only one in this world that I could possible love.

He leaned over and pressed his lips to my temple before sliding them down to my ear. He pushed the hair back so his words would be audible.

"You'll do fine, Rainbow. I'll call you tonight once you are settled. Add me into your contacts as Thomas. This is the name you will know and describe me by. _Never _give out my real name. Is that clear to you, Iris?"

I answered with, "Yes, I understand, _Thomas._"

I felt him smile against my hair. He then whispered, "You are beautiful. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise."

My cheeks reddened at his words. No one had ever said that to me before. Not even my parents.

He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before he threw open my door. He waved for me to step out and I did. I watched him as he shut the door carefully behind me. I'd miss him.

I straightened my white shirt over my jeans and combed through my hair with delicate fingers. I licked my lips until they were moist and then slung my backpack over my shoulder. All pessimistic thoughts left my head as this was the first time I had sincerely felt self-confident. I was the bird I wanted to be so badly earlier. But, I would not accomplish this for myself, I'd do it for him.

I sauntered up the sidewalk to the porch. I took the steps two at a time, excited to actually please someone for a change. I raised my hand and knocked on the door. Behind it, I heard people scurry to get to the door on time. I glimpsed back behind me and saw that he was now gone, the car no where to be seen.

As I waited for the door to open, I began to wonder why he had chose the name Thomas. Why, it was nothing like Rufus.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sorry for the late reply! I have had so many writing projects to complete this month... it's been crazy! And even though I wanted to set this as my top priority, I figured that finishing English homework would probably be the wise thing to do. :(**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter! You get to understand Iris' past a little better, along with learning more about her character and how she thinks/acts. I'm not the one to ask for reviews (seriously, that is just one of my biggest pet peeves) but I would highly love it if you reviewed stating whether or not you liked Iris. To me, she seems to be a very complex character, and due to her past (which will be fully revealed in later chapters), she has a difficult time understanding today's people/customs. But, that is just my opinion and I would LOVE yours! ;)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own House of Anubis... yet I do own Iris. A link to a picture I found that looked most like Iris can be found in my profile. While I do believe that readers' should have their own image of a character's appearance, since this was an OC, I wanted to give you the general idea.**

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The door creaked open underneath my hand, startling me. On the other side was a lady with her hair pinned up, her face shimmering in sweat. A few pieces of stray black hair stuck to her red face, which matched the shade of her floral shirt perfectly. She appeared over-worked and stressed. Did I really want to take advantage of someone like that?

"How may I-" She stopped midsentence. She twisted around and focused her attention on two people bickering behind her. "Alfie, Jerome... quit, we have a visitor."

She turned back to me, an apologetic smile already placed on her face. "I'm sorry about that. It's a mad house in here," She rolled her eyes playfully. "Now, how may I help you?"

"Um..." My voice trailed off as I tried to find the correct words to say. I glanced down at my shoes, which were a pair of black Converse. Rufus had bought these for me. Rufus. That brought back a bit of confidence. "I'm Iris, a new student enrolled here at Anubis House. This is Anubis House, correct?" I asked, hoping my confusion came off as real. I glanced around, trying to add to the illusion.

The lady's eyebrows rose at my words, her brown eyes darkening with uncertainty. "Yes, yes... this is Anubis House. I just hadn't been informed of a new student..." She watched me closely, testing me. This went on for a few seconds before she said, "How about you come on in? Better than standing outside." She quickly waved for me to walk in. I didn't move. A dash of hesitancy traced my face. Was this a trap? Was I already recognized?

The corners of her lips tugged upwards, her smile returning. "Come on, come on. It's alright... I don't bite." She chuckled at her terminology. It was a subtle, friendly laugh, one that convinced me that maybe she _was _the good-guy in this situation.

I took a step forward into the house. The lady shut the door quietly, leaving me indelibly trapped under the spotlight of fixed eyes and inquisitive questions. I gulped silently. No turning back now.

She walked me into the living room where bookbags were rested carelessly on the couches, a maroon blazer slung over each. Bags of chips were accommodating the only space left on the coffee table; ripped science notes the rest. Arguing reverberated from the top floor, and soon after, heavy footsteps, anger mounting in each stride. This didn't seem as orderly as a boarding home would be imagined. Or at least how I had imagined it.

She brushed over a few textbooks on the couch to make a place for me to sit. I exhibited my best smile and then sat down gingerly, making sure I wasn't rested on any loose pages. She stood across from me, her presence uncomfortable.

"I apologize for the mess," she states, sincerity seeping into her words. "The kids just got home from school and all kind of rushed upstairs. If there is anything I can get you- I'm Trudy, by the way." She extended a hand in my direction and I firmly grasped it, doing my best to attempt friendliness. She let go and I discreetly wiped my hand on my pants leg.

"You said you're a new student, eh?"

I don't know if it was her British accent or the realization of my situation, or possibly both, but my hands suddenly got clammy, my eyes traveling over every object in the room _but_ Trudy's face. The forest green stove in the kitchen. The alligator stuffed-being hanging proudly on the wall. The aged faces bordered by sleek, black frames penetrating through my soul.

I took a deep breath and then said, "Yes, my dad registered me for this boarding school. I filled out the application, sent it back, and got a message in the mail stating that my form had been accepted and that I would be on a scholarship here. I was to start school today, but we were a little late getting here," I reached for my bag and opened it, rummaging around for the form Rufus forged. I had been amazed that it looked so real. It even had the seal in the top right corner. "I printed out a copy of the letter I received... it should be in here somewhere..."

Trudy stuck out her hand and rested it on my forearm. "No use doing that. Victor is the one that has to approve. I'm just the maid here." At the mention of Victor's name, I froze. My blood ran cold, my heart's pace accelerating. Victor... the evil man with the crow. Trudy sent a wink in my direction.

I watched Trudy intently, trying to find a single instance of wariness, of harmful manner. Instead, she wore a huge grin secured to her face. She wasn't the bad guy here... she was foolishly clueless.

I raised my eyebrows slightly, testing her. "May I speak to Victor then, ma'am?"

"Victor is absent at the time. He is at a monthly meeting with the school board. He should be back in about thirty minutes or so. You are welcome to look around," Trudy replied.

I didn't take advantage of her offer. I nodded my head and then rose from the couch, bringing my bag with me, away from suspicious strangers. I ambled into the kitchen, which was connected to the family room. I was astonished by how neat it was compared to the living room. Not a single plate was missing from its home in the cupboard nor a stray paper laying neglectfully on the counter. I traced my finger along the edge of the sleek dark cherry table, not even a speck of dusk collecting in the air. The room was spotless.

I glanced back at Trudy, who was organizing school papers, before pushing open a door I noticed set in the corner of the kitchen. It led me into a hallway that had doors aligned symmetrically on the otherwise bare walls. The doors were ajar, revealing what was contained in each room. Inside the first door were two sets of beds, which confirmed that this was indeed where two students slept. On one side, a signed sports picture was stood up smugly on a nightstand; on the other, an acoustic guitar rested on the bed. Judging from the assortment of athletic balls and the overpowering scent of cologne, I could surmise that this was definitely a boy's room. As for where the boys were located...

I quickly moved on to the next room before I could be spotted. This room wasn't much different from the one before. Same layout of furniture. Same cologne aroma that made me wish I was born without a nose. Same untidiness that made me cringe. This room had a dash of arrogance, though. That alone confirmed that this was a male's.

I snickered to myself. The beige wall was plastered with alien posters while mutant green figures stood pompously on a shelf. Another look to the right and I saw a stack of zombie DVDs laying in a messy pile. Someone was a little obsessed. My eyebrows raised; the corners of my lips twitching into somewhat of a grin. The chaos was amusing, intriguing even. Suddenly, I had an urge to step inside the room, discover a piece of normality that had been missing for my entire life. This person had an interest, an enlightening topic to research. Not just a scientific theory, but a dream. A goal in life. I wanted one so badly...

I didn't even have one foot inside the room when the light touch of fingers on my back startled me, putting my journey on hiatus. I bit my lip and then turned around, expecting to see Trudy with confirmation of Victor's return. But, who was waiting for me was certainly not Trudy. It was a young boy, my age, leaning nonchalantly against the burgundy wall beside me. He sported soft blonde hair which was raised above his head, resembling the structure of a wispy cloud. His eyes- blue like Rufus'- sparkled with amusement, with curiosity. He sent a small grin my way before raising himself off the wall, the creases from the impact still remaining on his gray vest.

"You haven't been here 10 minutes and you're already snooping?" His words were like velvet; smooth, yet with a dash of secrecy. The tone of his voice carried a British accent, as expected, but there was a different layer to it... something I couldn't quite figure out. My mind was sent into an assailment, discarding every possible explanation. I couldn't recognize his intentions, which in result, meant trouble.

He shoved a hand in my direction, still smiling, and said haughtily, "Jerome."

I looked down at my feet, feeling uncomfortable and tense at his presence. I muttered a barely audible, "Iris", and began to rock on my heels. Back and forth. Back and forth.

"So..." Jerome said, extending the length of such a tiny word. He withdrew his hand and pushed it into his pant's front pockets, searching for nothing. Apparently, awkwardness was extremely contagious. "You're the new student here."

That caught my attention. I glanced up, staring straight into his oceanic eyes. Mine narrowed, turning into green slits, similar to those of an irritated cat. "How did you know that I am a new student?"

My rebound of confidence caught him off-guard, surprising him. And that's exactly what I wanted to do. I couldn't gain a reputation of being a coward, not when I had such an enormous mission laid out ahead of me. I had learned from past experiences that my ego _always _had to be bigger. I had to develop a shield, and if I played my cards correctly, a sword as well.

His eyes widened as a small blush crept upon his cheeks. "Well, I-um, I was-"

"Just snooping?" I said arrogantly, cutting him off. I finished my sentence with a smile, with a sense of pride. He watched me closely with amazement. While my job was to abet Rufus in his plan, that didn't mean I couldn't come up with one of my own. If trickery was my best option, then I wouldn't be hesitant to use it to my benefit. Spinning a web of lies would not be a difficult task for me to complete. After all, I couldn't trust anyone here, not after what Rufus had told me.

I leaned in closer to Jerome until I could feel his warm, desperate breath tickle my cheeks. My eyes were squared with his, which were now enlarged with curiosity. I took my time before I spoke, wanting to tease his overly-excited male hormones. "Nice meeting you, Jerome."

I took a step back and offered him a tantalizing small smile. Not the seductive kind- Lord no- but one that was meant to say I was not to be messed with, which was his exact boyish intention. He was scoping out the new girl, seeing if she was worth his limited attention. I'd seen enough of the movies to know.

With one last smirk, I hurriedly walked past him. My confidence swelled as I could feel his eyes follow me, boring into the back of my white t-shirt. He would be an easy one to play... he'd help me find the Cup of Ankh with no doubts. My request from Rufus would be fulfilled in no time. He would be so very pleased of me.

As I came to the end of the hallway, I heard a chuckle and then a loud slap echo from behind me. I subtly snuck a peek to see a teenage boy- the same age as myself by the looks of it- standing next to Jerome, laughing. I heard murmured words of "trickster" and "burned" as Jerome slouched against the wall, disgruntled. I made my way back into the kitchen before I could burst out laughing. I had already gained a reputation of mischief.

Trudy was missing from the room, most likely running off to finish her chores or attend to one of the kid's needs. That made me feel sorry for her. But most of all, feel sorry for what I was doing. She was innocent, had no ties to this house's sinister ways, yet I didn't have big enough of a heart to let it go, to see pass the position she was in, the position _I _was in. Sometimes I would catch myself wishing I was someone with a compassionate demeanor. Greed always got in the way of desires, though. Or at least lately it has.

After a minute passed and there was still no sign of Trudy, I headed though another door, this time getting led into a huge foyer. I had walked through here when I first came in, but was too nervous to truly see the entrance way. A delicate chandelier hung from the ceiling, each tiny piece of glass reflecting the sun's light, creating a luminous glow in the room. The wall was plastered in a burgundy, ornate wallpaper. An atypical design was carved around the staircase, leaving me with tons of questions. That symbol... I had recognized it...

The Eye of Horus. The one Rufus was talking about. The eyes stared straight at me, intensifying the peculiar feeling forming in my gut. I suddenly felt an impulse to inspect upstairs, as if the eyes were guiding me to all of my answers. I strode over to the stairs and stood on the first one, my senses now on a mad frenzy. I didn't care if curiosity killed the cat, I had to...

I scampered up the stairs, tripping over the fourth one. My eyes gleamed with anticipation. This was so exciting.

At the top of the stairs was yet another hallway- no surprise there. Must be a rule to have at least fifty long, sinister hallways in every deadly boarding school.

I placed my hand against the wall, my fingers tracing smooth, intricate patterns on the side. _So this was what a home felt like..._

I banished my thoughts and made my way down the hallway, coming across three rooms, all of the doors left wide open. I tip-toed over to the first door and peeked in.

Four people sat criss-crossed on the floor, talking to each other in hushed voices. A girl with brown, golden locks was positioned with her face towards me, nothing but concern streaking her expression. Beside her was a boy with deep brown hair slanted across his forehead, his eyes only concentrating on the girl next to him. The two people remaining were female, one having straight blonde hair, the other short auburn hair, their faces hidden from view. They were students here, having their own personal meeting. The girl with the blonde hair turned my way and-

Quickly, I moved on to the next room before my presence could be accentuated, turning all of their attention to the suspicious girl roaming the halls. Inside the room was a girl and a boy holding hands, giving nothing but the idea that they were indeed a couple. They were attempting to finish their homework and study- this becoming apparent due to the chemistry books arranged sloppily on the bed- but I could tell that that was the last thing on their minds. They may had been studying chemistry... but which kind?

Suddenly, they gazed into each other's eyes, their lips tugging upward into indolent smiles. They leaned forward and-

I backed away immediately, fighting the urge to vomit a little. Romance was _not _my thing; never had and probably never will.

Wanting to escape the sudden discomfort, I looked for an easy exit. I spotted a hallway on the right and decided to take it, my chances of bursting into emo flames increasing by the second.

I walked diligently down the hallway, coming across an office placed in the center of the corridor. I peered inside, inspecting every object. A tiny desk was sitting peacefully in the room, an equally small chair acquainting it. There was a safe stored in one corner of the room; a file cabinet in the other. Keys hung smugly on the wall, protected by a glass barrier. My eyes traveled back to the desk. Beside it rested a black stuffed crow. C-crow. The crow Rufus warned me about, what he told me strictly to stay away from. It stared straight at me with beady dark eyes, tugging at the loose ends of my soul. Captivating me, enclosing me. I rested my hand on the doorknob. So close...

I backed away from my trance, astonished and confused, but mostly terrified. This house _was _evil. I placed a trembling hand on my freezing, porcelain face. I couldn't trust anything or anyone here. Never. Not if I wanted to make it back to Rufus, who was now a part of my _real _family. Only him. I only needed him.

"Iris, honey!"

I jumped back, startled by Trudy's echoing voice. I speedily dashed through the hallway and to the winding staircase, calling out, "I'm right here, Trudy!"

I stumbled down the stairs until I reached the ground floor. I took a deep breath to rid of my uneasiness before Trudy turned a corner and met me in the room.

She sent a warm smile my way before saying, "Victor just got back. He's in the driveway. He'll be coming in any second now."

I nodded my head, letting her know that I was grateful of everything she had done. But inside, I was breaking; falling tauntingly into a million pieces. Victor, the one who had hurt Rufus, would be meeting me any time now. He had harmed and altered and possibly killed and if he could see right through my plan, then I was sure he wouldn't be hesitant to do any of those things to me.

I glanced down at my wrist, my scar clearly showing. I slowly traced it with my finger, memories flooding in. My mom holding me tightly as she said goodbye. My sister's tears staining her shirt as we went our separate ways. The surprise look on my face as I would watch myself in the mirror every night, staring at the new markings blooming on my skin. They were all permanently embedded into my brain.

I looked up as the doorknob jiggled.


End file.
